When Constituents and Small Business Owners Speak, Legislators Listen

Recently, I wrote a blog post titled, “The World Is Run By People Who Show Up,” about how constituents can greatly affect the positions of their elected officials – but only when they speak up. California CALA recently held our fourth annual CALA/Civil Justice Association of California Day at the Capitol where we talked to legislators and their staff members about lawsuit abuse, and WOW, did our supporters show up.

When we started this event three years ago, about 30 people attended. This year, we had nearly 200 people – a fantastic number, especially considering that CALA is comprised solely of grassroots supporters. These people show up because they’re sick of our legal system putting greed before justice and they want our legislators to know it.

The folks who attended packed a lot into their day. They sat with others who have experienced the pain of lawsuit abuse. Hearing these stories – and realizing they are not alone – brought our supporters together and reinforced their desire to make changes to help not only themselves but other small business owners in California who are routinely victimized by the trial bar.

They heard from Assembly Member Brian Jones, who spoke about AB 2361, his bill to reduce abusive Proposition 65 lawsuits. They also heard from the Executive Officer of the California Commission on Disability Access, Steve Castellanos, who explained the litigation problem with Americans with Disabilities Act lawsuits here in California.

CALA supporters, most of whom have been victimized by abusive lawsuits, then met with their respective legislators at the Capitol and explained how their communities are impacted by those who abuse the system for their own gain.

While everyone who attended our Day at the Capitol knows California has a long way to go to a full economic recovery, our event was a step in the right direction for the state. Enacting legal reform to stop lawsuit abuse is vital to making California golden again. And if the world is run by the people who show up, our supporters did a great job of making their voices heard.

Our work, though, is far from over. Stay tuned to this blog as we track bills in the legislature and make sure that our legislators vote to create jobs, not lawsuits.